I keep getting ad Medial Player Pop-up entering upon my computer which indicates I may have a virus.
How to remove or uninstall Media Player pop-ups which are annoying when I'm on my computer. I thought Webroot ensures and/or detect virues. Need help in removing pop-ups
Hi 09Melissa29
Welcome to the Community Forums.
The “Upgrade your Media Player now” ad is a social engineering technique, which is to trick Windows users to install adware or a potentially unwanted program on their computers. It is in fact a non-malware program we commonly refer to as a PUA or POtentially Unwanted Application.
As you have found out these are very annoying at best in that they cause pop-ups, redirect your browser home page, and other behaviour that may slow down the computer and direct ads your way, but they are not actually doing anything bad like damaging files or stealing information.
Often they are installed intentionally users as browser add-ons for various tasks such as quick search tools. But they also come with the result of added annoying pop-ups and ads. Other times they 'piggy back' with other software that you installed, or try to 'sneak' onto your system.
The key to avoiding them is to make sure that when downloading apps one does so from the author's own website or one that they have recommended, and not 3rd party downloading site.
WSA does detect and remove many PUA's, and more are being added, but WSA does not detect all of them. A simple browser add-on with PUA behaviour that is easy to identify and easy to remove is not likely to be detected and removed by WSA. Those that are intentionally difficult to locate and remove are. Please see this link for more information regarding Webroot's stance on these annoying programs.
If you feel or consider yourself technically proficient then you can try these steps to remove it from your system.
However, if that does not work or you do not feel technically capable then the best thing to do is to Open a Support Ticket & ask Webroot Support to take a look and remove these for you. There is NO CHARGE for this for valid WSA license holder.
Having read up about this particular PUA it seems to be a particularly resistant 'critter' so my suggestion is to go the Support Ticket route and let the professionals deal with it for you.
I hope that the above is of assistance?
Regards, Baldrick
Welcome to the Community Forums.
The “Upgrade your Media Player now” ad is a social engineering technique, which is to trick Windows users to install adware or a potentially unwanted program on their computers. It is in fact a non-malware program we commonly refer to as a PUA or POtentially Unwanted Application.
As you have found out these are very annoying at best in that they cause pop-ups, redirect your browser home page, and other behaviour that may slow down the computer and direct ads your way, but they are not actually doing anything bad like damaging files or stealing information.
Often they are installed intentionally users as browser add-ons for various tasks such as quick search tools. But they also come with the result of added annoying pop-ups and ads. Other times they 'piggy back' with other software that you installed, or try to 'sneak' onto your system.
The key to avoiding them is to make sure that when downloading apps one does so from the author's own website or one that they have recommended, and not 3rd party downloading site.
WSA does detect and remove many PUA's, and more are being added, but WSA does not detect all of them. A simple browser add-on with PUA behaviour that is easy to identify and easy to remove is not likely to be detected and removed by WSA. Those that are intentionally difficult to locate and remove are. Please see this link for more information regarding Webroot's stance on these annoying programs.
If you feel or consider yourself technically proficient then you can try these steps to remove it from your system.
However, if that does not work or you do not feel technically capable then the best thing to do is to Open a Support Ticket & ask Webroot Support to take a look and remove these for you. There is NO CHARGE for this for valid WSA license holder.
Having read up about this particular PUA it seems to be a particularly resistant 'critter' so my suggestion is to go the Support Ticket route and let the professionals deal with it for you.
I hope that the above is of assistance?
Regards, Baldrick
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